Social ENTERPRISE
A social enterprise or social business is defined as a business with specific social objectives that serve its primary purpose. The Canadian Council of Persons with Disabilities’ Travel Advisory Committee (CCD) and Consulting Services for Accessible Transportation Inc. (CSAT) have teamed up to create a Social Enterprise that will not only engage persons with disabilities, visible and non-visible, the DEAF community, the LGBTQQIP2S+, Indigenous community, and anyone who experiences barriers to travel and daily life through all phases of the barrier removal process, but they will also be paid a fair wage for their time as applicable. This also ensures the principle of ‘nothing about us without us’ is fully enforced.
CCD is working with Consulting Services for Accessible Transportation Inc. (CSAT), to launch a Social Enterprise to combat the monetization of government (through fine payments) and large consulting entities, who generally offer persons with disabilities minimal gestures such as a chance to win a gift card for their time and then charge the entity receiving the service significant amounts to generate sufficient profit for their company.
The Social Enterprise will ensure persons with disabilities receive reasonable remuneration and Transportation Service Providers (TSPs) pay a reasonable amount while we work directly with the TSPs to ensure compliance, and recommendations are implemented, and barriers are removed by the community for the community.
In addition, we also assist passengers with disabilities secure any applicable compensation, refunds, or other accommodations as we cost-effectively support passengers through the complaint resolution process from start to finish in a timely manner.
Our commitment is that we are here for all travellers within our community to protect their human rights and make travel as accessible as it can possibly be. Our expertise and guidance will help passengers and industry remove barriers and secure compensation for passengers as applicable for injuries, inappropriate denial of transportation, delayed flights, while concurrently engaging service providers in universal design for barrier removal to enhance the travel experience and minimize exposure to fines and monetary penalties.
Our entire purpose has always been to make a change for the better for everyone. Removing barriers and creating inclusivity needs to be based on the principles of universal standards.
